Dancing in the Dark
by SongsofPsyche1945
Summary: REWRITE of Things I'll Never Say. Lucy is a dancer and is tagging along with the wolf pack for the weekend to escape from her venomously evil Aunt Melissa, Phil is hiding a dark secret, Stu just wants everything to be okay and Alan...he's just Alan.
1. Chapter 1

So, this is a rewrite of The Things I'll Never Say. I read it over the weekend and realized that it was a terrible, god awful mess. Just the spelling alone made me wince (I was like 19 when I wrote this). So I took it down, and gave it a complete make over. Hopefully it will be better this time!

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"Lucille Katherine Milton! You get down here right now!"

The venomously sweet voice of Melissa pierced through the walls and reached my ears just as I was about to fall into a deep nap. I sighed and sat up _what did I do now?_

"Hold on! Hold on I'm coming!" I shouted back, getting up out of the air mattress I called a bed and quickly yanking the door open before my aunt could come storming up the stairs. I reached the kitchen, sliding in on my socks.

"What took you so long? I called you twice already." Melissa snapped at me, glaring from her spot next to the stove.

"I'm sorry, Aunt Melissa." I said quietly, hoping not to irritate her further.

"One of the granola bars is gone. Did you take it?" She asked harshly, looking up at me. I thought back for a moment….did I take one? I might have…

"No, I don't think I did." I answered

"God you're such a liar. I know you did. Those aren't for you. Do you understand me? I'm going to have to add those onto your rent for next week." She told me.

I sighed and tried not to roll my eyes. Why was I living with such a witch? _Because you have no where else to go. _I sadly reminded myself. I lost everything in that fire that killed my parents, so my only two options were to stay with my Aunt Melissa or live on the streets. I had no money, no house, and a shit load of student loans to pay off. I worked two jobs; one as a ballet instructor at the community college, and the other as an ABA specialist. But even with both them between my Aunt's $200 a week rent that she insisted I give her, and the $400 a month student loan I had, I barely had any left to save for my own place. It pretty much sucked. Melissa had complete control over the money my mother left, and she spent most of her time reminding me that I owed it to her now because she ever so kindly "took me under her wing."

"But I didn't take them-I swear." I answered back, and I immediately regretted it as Melissa swelled up like an angry bull frog and stalked over to me, grabbing me harshly by my hair and pulling me close to her face.

"What did you say? Did you just talk back to me, you ungrateful little-"

"What's going on?"

We both turn to see Stu, Melissa's boyfriend of three years standing in the doorway. Melissa immediately lets go of me and stepped away.

"Nothing honey, you're home early." she said with a smile. She always kept her temper around Stu and hid her anger with sweet smiles. I think deep down Stu was aware of Melissa's harsh treatment, but he was too much of a coward to do or said anything. The one time he stood up for me, she punched him so hard he had a black eye for a week. I'm surprised he's been with her for so long, I would have taken off ages ago. The selfish part of me doesn't want Stu to break up with Melissa, mainly because when he was around she was halfway decent with me-meaning she kept the screaming to a minimum and didn't hit me-and when he wasn't being a complete coward he really was a nice guy. I thought he felt a bit sorry for me, which was probably why he extended the invitation to Doug's Bachelor party to me; a present for my 21st Birthday.

"Yeah, I had to pack for this weekend." he said

"Oh right, for Doug bachelor's party in Napa." Melissa muttered through her teeth. She hated his friends; in fact she hated everything that didn't directly benefit her.

"Yeah. My best friend is getting married." Stu said

Melissa flashed him a fake smile. "Be sure to call me when you get there."

"Lucy, you packed? Doug's coming at 4 to pick us up." Stu said. I smiled and nodded; I've been packed since yesterday. I didn't really care that this was supposed to be an all boys weekend, or that we're actually going to Vegas instead of Napa. I would literally do anything to be out of the house and away from Melissa, even if it's just for the weekend.

"Yeah, I'll go get my bag." I told him quickly, but before I can escape back upstairs Melissa grabbed my arm.

"I need to talk you, sweetie.," she growled through her teeth before she pulled me into the hallway. She waited until Stu was busy with the microwave before she turned on me. She backed me into the wall and backhanded me. Hard.

"Why didn't you tell me you were going with Stu?" she hissed, shoving me again.

"He invited me-"

"You ungrateful little _bitch. _Don't you know what I have sacrificed for you? And now you're going to go blow all my hard work off in Napa Valley? With _my boyfriend. _How dare you!"

"Melissa-I'm sorry I just thought-"

"Just thought what? That you would go get away from the weekend, relax a bit before you got back to work? Do you know what your being? You little freak. You're being selfish." she whispered harshly in my face, and then shoved me away from her.

"Go then. Go _have fun. _But just so you know, your mother- my _dear _sister-didn't sacrifice herself just so her daughter could turn into a little worthless _slut _that runs away when things get hard." she half yelled, half hissed, and then stalked back into the kitchen.

I gripped the carpet and tried to control my breathing. _Why don't you stick up for yourself? You don't deserve this. _A voice that sounded very much like my mother's berated me in my head. _I know, I know but what else am I supposed to do? I have nowhere else to go. _I argue back, hating myself for not having a better job, for not being successful enough to support myself despite my masters in counseling. For wanting to be able to help other's in dire situations instead of making the big bucks at an accounting firm.

I sighed. There was no use complaining about it now, at least she's allowing me to go. It's not like she could stop me anyway, I'm of age and Stu invited me. It would totally being blowing her cover if she threw a fit about me going, and she definitely wants to keep her relationship with Stu "happy and healthy". I picked myself up and headed towards the stairs, rubbing the spot on my forehead where she struck me. I could already feel a bump forming.

When I reached my room, I checked it out in the mirror. _Yup, there is a definite bruise there. _I sighed and rolled my eyes at my reflection. My naturally red curly hair was sticking out in all directions from the messy bun that it was in, no matter how many bobby pins I stuck in there, it just wouldn't lay flat. I leaned closer to the mirror and examined the bruise; it's right above my right eye which was green. My left eye, a clear crystal blue gleams out from under my bangs. I sighed, I will never get used to looking at myself. Maybe Melissa was right, maybe I am a _freak._

I stare at myself in the mirror for a few more minutes, wondering on how I should do my hair and if it was even possible to get an eye switch surgery when I heard Mellissa and Stu talking through the grate on the floor. It connected straight to the kitchen, and I could hear everything.

I paused with my ear to the grate, and listened:

"Remember to pack your Rograine." came Melissa's voice from the kitchen.

"Rograine check." Stu said, trying to keep the sarcasm to a minimum.

"And remember to _use it. _I can always tell when you don't, your hair just looks thinner."

"Using of the Rograine. Check."

"And make sure to call me right when you get to the hotel," Melissa added. "Not like that conference in Phoenix. I had to wait two hours for you to call me."

I could practically hear Stu trying not to role his eyes, "Yeah, I was the keynote speaker. I was late to the podium."

"Still?"

"Yeah, you're totally right. I'm sorry," Stu said quickly. "What is the matter?"

"I don't know," Melissa answered with a sigh, "I just hope you're not gonna go to some strip club when you're up there."

"Melissa, we're going to Napa Valley. I don't even think they have strip clubs in wine country."

"Well, I'm sure if there is one, Doug will sniff it out." Melissa tells him with a huff.

"Doug's not going to be doing anything like that. He's the one getting married, remember? He's changed."

"And what about the Phil the Psycho? Should I watch for him on the news?" she snorted.

"Please Melissa, he's not a psycho. It's a miracle I got him out of his house—errr—place that's he's living—for the weekend." He said

I pause at the mention of Phil Winneck. He had been Stu's friend they were kids. I didn't really know much about what happened with Phil—justs bits and pieces that I picked up from listening over the vent. From what I understood, Phil and been in some kind of accident. He had survived but his wife was killed. Phil hadn't been the same since.

"I wouldn't call the Ramada Inn a house…anyway, are you sure he's safe to be around? Didn't he hit you once-."

"I'll be fine. And that was different, he was scared and not in the right mind."

"But-."

"Please, Melissa.. He needs a normal weekend where he can be with people he trusts. He hasn't had that in a while. He needs us to be there for him."

"I don't understand why you are so worried about him. He did this to himself, didn't he?"

I heard Stu sigh, "What happened to him wasnt his fault. He was sick. But he's better now, nobody should be-"

"I don't consider suicide to be-." Melissa started, but then Stu cut her off.

My ears pricked, suicide?

"Look, Melissa, it's not going to be like that. It's just gonna be me, Phil, Doug, Lucy and Tracy's brother." Stu said. "Besides, you know how I feel about that stuff." He said, picking up the conversation that had started before they started talking about Phil.

"It's just boys and their bachelor parties, it's gross. And another thing, why are you taking my niece with you? She is neither your friend, nor a bachelor. I just don't get it. Plus, she's an absolute horror to look at, you know."

I wince. I hate that she always has to bring that up at every moment. She could be really shallow, sometimes.

"It's her 21st birthday, Napa seems like a good place for it. She deserves it; she's worked hard these last couple of months. And she's not _a horror; _heterochromia is very common among people. She should be proud of her differences."

Melissa rolled her eyes, "Well I think it looks weird. Maybe that's why she lazes around as a dance instructor, instead of getting a _real job_." she muttered underneath her breathe.

"She's not just a ballet instructor, she does ABA-."

"Over paid babysitting if you ask me."

"It's not…..You're right," Stu finally said after a few beats of silence. "Strip clubs are gross, which is why we're going to Napa instead of some trashy place like Las Vegas."

"Not to mention it's pathetic." Melissa added.

"Mm-hmm," Stu agrees.

"Those places are filthy."

"Yeah,"

"And the worst part is," Melissa continued, "That little girl . . . grinding and dry-humping the fucking stage up there . . . that's somebody's daughter up there." Stu said the last line with her, trying to prove that she's right.

"I was just gonna said that,"

"See," Melissa said. "I just wish your friends were as mature as you."

"They are mature, actually," Stu defended his friends "You just have to get to know them better."

I then heard a series of rapid honks from the window. "They're here."

"I should go."

"That's a good idea, honey." Melissa said through her teeth.

"Have a good weekend. I'm gonna miss you."

"They're here, Lucy!" I heard Stu shout up the stairs.

"Alright, alright I'm coming!" I shouted back and I bounded excitedly down the stairs.

"Excited?" Stu asked, laughing softly.

I nodded "Yessir. Thank you again for taking me, I really appreciate it."

I turned to my Aunt. "I'll see you on Sunday, Aunt Melissa."

Melissa nodded, "Don't forget your rent for the week is due then. I don't want it late like it was last time."

"Sweetie you know that was my fault-" Stu tried to add in but Melissa interrupts him.

"It's very rude to be late, especially with important things like rent. It won't happen again, right?"

I swallowed then nodded, "Yes Aunt Melissa."

The awkward silence was interrupted by the honking of Doug's car,.

Stu smiles excitedly. "Alright, we'll see you at the wedding."

Melissa gives him a small, hard smile. "Sure. See you then_."_

She escorted us to the door, and I tried to tell myself that it was the wind-not Melissa- who slammed the door shut behind them.

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	2. Chapter 2

I smiled slightly as I followed Stu out to the car. It felt good to be out in the sun. Usually Melissa made me stay inside and clean on the weekends. It also felt nice to be in real clothes for a change. Since I teach ballet, about 85% of my week I am dressed in tights and leotards but today I am wearing my comfiest jeans -the ones with holes in both knees-, flip flops, aviators and my favorite black shirt that boldly states "Not all those who wander are lost". I'm a bit of a Tolkien nerd, if I said so myself.

I've met Stu's friends a few times before, and they all seemed nice enough. They're are older than me by at least 10 years but that doesn't seem to bother them as much as it bothered Melissa.

"You guys remember Lucy, Melissa's niece, right?" Stu introduces me, patting me on the shoulder. The guys smile and nod.

"You're the ballet chick. The one that has all the shows Stu takes us to." Doug said with a smile.

Melissa always thought my shows were a joke and she never came to any of them. I still remember one of the first shows I was in down here; I was the prima ballerina in the local college's Nutcracker. A big honor, if I must said so myself. Melissa and I had a huge fight about it, her saying that it was a waste of time and money, and then forbidding me to participate. Even though I had auditioned against almost 200 other girls and had gotten the part. Of course, I snuck around her and did the play anyway. I didn't even know Stu knew about it until on the night of the premiere, he surprised me with a bouquet of flowers and an entourage of people. That's when I had first met Doug, Tracey, and Phil. After that, they never failed to show up at every single recital I did.

I nodded, "Yup, that's me. How ya doing, Doug? Excited about the big day?" I asked as I settled myself in between Stu and Phil. Doug smiled at me through the rearview mirror.

"Oh yes. So excited. Have you met Alan, Tracey's brother?" he said, pointing to the oddest man I have ever seen. He kinda looks like a bearded Jesus, only fatter and nerdier. He grinned at me through dark aviator shades and then gave me a bow.

"Nathlo! Le suilon, Le maer? I eneth nîn Alan." he said, raising his eyebrows up and down at me.

"I-what?" I asked, confused for just a second but then two years of experience running the Inklings Club at my college comes rushing back to me.

"Mae l'ovannen, Alan. Gi suilon." I answer in Sindarin, returning the bow.

"What the fuck is that? Some secret language?" Doug pitched in his opinion, huffing and rolling his eyes. I laughed, Doug was always good at the sarcasm, but unlike Melissa, he always meant well.

I turned to Phil, who looked slightly squished in the middle seat between Alan and myself.

"Hey Phil. You look good." I said, remembering what Stu had said inside about Phil needing support this weekend.

Phil waved it off with his hand and shrugged. "Thanks Lucy. So do you. I was half expecting you to come out in a tutu.

"Nah. Today's my day off." I answered with a smile.

"You okay in the middle, Phil?" Stu asked

Phil smiled and nodded his head, "I'll be fine."

"That was pretty impressive. I didn't know you spoke Elvish." Stu said, patting me.

"Yup, welcome to the nerdy side of Lucy." I answered

"There's nothing nerdy about Tolkien. I like your shirt." Alan added in, staring at each of us with a very serious expression on his face.

"Who?" Phil asked

"Tolkien, you know _Lord of the Rings. _Didn't you ever read it in high school?" Stu answered for me with a laugh. Phil scoffed.

"No. I had sex in high school." He answered, raising his eyebrows.

"Hahah very funny, Phil. High school. Wow. It seems like so long ago." Doug said.

"We all met in high school." Stu explained to me.

"Oh wow, so you've been friends for like, forever." I said, smiling.

"Yup, just about. In fact-." Stu started, but then cut off as his eyes flitted over to Phil, who had suddenly gone quiet and still. Doug paused too, looking over at the back seat. I saw Stu and Doug exchange a glance.

"Okay, we all set to go?" Doug asked quietly.

Just as it started, it suddenly stopped. Phil let out a breath, and then smiled his dazzling smile.

"Yes, let's get going. I'm fine." He said, like that awkward moment never happened.

"You doing alright Phil?" Stu asked

Phil nodded his head. "This is the first weekend since-well you know. It'll be good to be in Vegas, like old times."

Stu nodded, "Yes. And it's going to be great. We are here to celebrate."

Doug smiled, "Let's go!"

He started the car and pulled out into the street. I smiled, feeling the warm wind hit my face.

"Whoo! Road trip! Vegas, Vegas Baby!" Alan screeched at the top of his lungs as we headed onto the freeway.

I didn't know whether I should slap him or laugh at him. He looked over to the left and saw a bemused kid staring out the window at them. She smiled, and then creepily gave them the finger before her car drove away.

"Whoa. Case 39 much?" I said

"Hahahaha." Stu fake laughed. He hated those kind of movies.

"Come on, just till Barstow. Everybody's passing us!" Phil asked for the umpteenth time. He seemed a little wound up, drumming his fingers against

"Relax Phil, you'll be fine. It's gonna be fine." Stu said, turning his head around and looking at Phil.

"I promised Sid I would be the only one driving this car." Doug explained calmly, staring at Phil through the driver's mirror.

"Guys, my dad loves this care more than he loves me. So, yeah…" Alan interrupted with a grin.

"Wow."

"Don't get me wrong. My dad and I are very close. He's my life partner."

"What?"

Doug straightened up in his seat, "Am I all right over there, Alan?"

"Yeah, you're good." Alan said without even looking.

"Wait a minute, Doug why don't you-." I started and suddenly I was in Stu's lap as the car jerked back into the lane. _What the hell?_

"OH MY GOD!"

A truck blared its horn loudly at us as we nearly hit it. Other cars swerved and honked around us. I saw Phil cover his ears with his hands as I attempted to stop myself from tipping over the side of the car.

"That was awesome! Woohooo!" Alan screamed, throwing his hands up into the air.

"That was not awesome. What's wrong with you? You nearly gave me a heart attack!" Stu yelled

"Classic." Alan said, clapping his hands three times in a slow applaud.

"It's not funny."

Stu and I exchanged looks, for the first time ever we had a telepathic conversation. It went something like this:

Me: Oh my god who is this guy?

Stu: I know right, he is crazy!

Me: But really, who is he? How do we even know him?

Stu: He kinda looks like a potato…..

And then the connection was gone.

After our near-death experience, we stopped at a gas station.. When I asked Alan if he wanted anything from the snack shack, he requested gummy worms. I silently watched Alan yell at an old man before I headed towards the cold beverages.

I noticed Stu staring at me as I considered my options of Vitamin water. Finally he turned to me, and pointed lightly with his finger to the still present bruise on my forehead-the one that Melissa ever so kindly put there this morning.

"Another one?" he asked softly. It was really nice that he cared, but at the same time it made me sad because no matter how many time he asked me about the bruises, I knew he would never do anything about it. He would never stand up to Melissa. He didn't when she hit him that one time, and he definitely wouldn't do it for me.

"Yeah."

"When did this one happen?"

I shrugged again, "Night before last, after dinner."

"I'm sorry, Lucy. If there is anything I can do-."

"It's okay, Stu. I'll be fine." I said,

Stu looked like he wanted to say more to me, but was interrupted by his phone ringing.. I grabbed the water I wanted then walked over and joined Phil and Doug at the registrar.

Doug smiled and pulled the vitamin water and gummy worms out of my hand, placing it down on the counter with the rest of the items.

"Are you sure?" I asked

"Yeah, it's no big deal." Doug said

"Thanks."

"He's actually kind of funny." Phil said to Doug, pointing at Alan.

"Yeah, he means well." Doug answered. I looked over and see Alan casually reading by the car. He was very protective of it.

"I mean, should we be worried about him?"

"No." Doug answered with a shrug, but then added "Tracey did mention that we shouldn't let him gamble….or drink too much."

Phil scoffs, "Jesus, he's like a gremlin." And then laughed a little it.

"...and one water" Stu said, coming up from behind me and putting the water on the counter.

"All good with Melissa?" Doug asked, concern lacing his voice. Phil did not know anything about our situation, but Doug did. That's probably why he agreed to let me come on this trip. He's a good guy all around.

"Oh yeah. Told her we're two hours outside of wine country, and she bought it." Stu said with a smile.

"Nice." I told him. I could never get away with a lie like that.

"You think it's strange you've been in a relationship for three years, and you still have to like about Vegas?" Phil asked with a scowl.

"Yeah. I do. But trust me, it's not worth the fight." Stu answered with a grimace.

"Oh, so you can't go to Vegas but she can fuck a bellhop on a carnival cruise line?" Phil asked

"First of all, he was a bartender, and second of all, she was wasted. She wasn't in the right mind, it wasn't her fault."

"Of course it was her fault, she was the one who invited him into the cabin. She was also the one to call you mid-sex and brag about it to you. Why are you even with this woman?" Phil asked disgusted, as he looks over the selection of gum.

"Because she's my soul mate and I love her, and she loves me." Stu answered immediately.

"It doesn't sound like love to me. What Steph and I have….had…." Phil started and then his voice trailed off. I saw his hands start to shake before he balled them into fists.

"It's okay, Phil." Stu said, his eyes softened and he put his hand on Phil's shoulder. To me, it looked only like a gesture of reassurance which was why I was so surprised when Phil flinched away from Stu like he had burned him. It seemed like Phil's entire body had frozen.

"Phil…." Stu started, but Phil ignored him. He remained still for a few more moments, but then seemed to come back to himself.

"That'll be $32.50." the women behind the counter said,

"It's $32.50, you gonna pay for it?" Phil asked, raising an eyebrow seeming to come back to himself a little bit.

Stu sighed, and then reached for his wallet.

Phil grabbed his items with lighting speed and then headed towards the car.

"He said her name." Stu commented.

"I think that's the first time since, well, you know." Doug said.

"Yeah. I don't know if it's for better or for worse though."

"It's going to be okay. I promise. He will be okay, Stu." Doug said.

"He flinched away when I touched him though." Stu said

"I know. I saw. We just have to take it slow, okay?" Doug said

They seemed to have forgotten that I was there. They grabbed their items and started walking towards the car. I followed them silently.

"What if something goes wrong? What if someone else touches him and he looses it and we can't bring him back?" Stu asked

"We won't let that happen." Doug said.

When we got to the car, Phil and Alan were standing there waiting for us.

"Alan buddy, why don't you let Phil take shot gun for the rest of the ride?" Doug asked

Alan shrugged his shoulders, "Sure man. Whatever."

Then he crawled into the back seat. Stu took the middle seat, and I sat behind Doug. As we stared driving, I felt my eyes drooping and suddenly I was asleep.

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Thanks for reading! Please leave a review and let me know what you think!


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